The Virtuoso's Dilemma
by GrumpyYoda
Summary: For years Jhin worked for the Noxia, killing his targets without remorse or a second tought.But what will happen when his orders brought Sona the end of his barrel.Will he kill her and get on with it?And what will happen when Shen will find his tracks only to end what his master has started years ago...(Sorry I'm bad at summaries)
1. Chapter 1

The sun was setting. Painting the blue skies to a vibrant red, bright sphere descended slowly. It was past six now, a normal hour for dark to fall, in this season of fall.

While light leaving the sky, the cold evening settled slowly onto the warped streets of Zaun. Only few people were still on the outside and most of them were running. Everyone just wanted to get inside some walls, save themselves from night of the Zaun before the light completely dies out. Nights were dangerous in the Zaun and none can guess what ill will befall on those who stay outside...

"Hmph." Stooding tall before the sole window in the room Khada Jhin looked upon the running Zaunites. Heavy mask on his face was strangling his already low voice, turning to a throaty whisper. A whisper suitable for the mysterious figure in a play. Suitable for making people shiver. Oh how he loves his mask...

"Let me go..." said the other person in the room half crying half begging. "I'm no one."

Hearing the desperate plea, virtuoso turned around to see her face. Big black eyes filled with tears nearly to the brim. Tears of desperation and fear. Coupled with long ravenous hair, her face may found appealing by others but not by Jhin. Not in that form anyways. While sitting on bed, bounded, she is just a canvas for him to paint. A tune to compose...She was nothing. But at the end of the night, she'll be unforgottable.

Jhin smiled at her comment under his mask. "You're right." he said, taking a dancing step forward.

"Then why are you doing this to me?" she asked struggling to holding tears back. Jhin told her to do so, and noted if she were to disobey, a punishment will be waiting her. 'Scream, shout, sob, kick, run...Act as you wish.' he said, while covering her bruises with a fluffy brush. 'But never will ruin the make-up.' There was no words of warning, but the tone of his voice made up for the lack of it.

"Because no one will ever miss you." Cutting Jhin, the other man said. An albino with platin hair and red eyes resembling droplets of blood.

Ignoring him "You are...pure." Jhin said, started walking in the small room. He's always talking in a polite manner. "You have no home, no family, not even a name other than the ones customers gave do they call you?"

"Apple, mostly..." Started sobbing despite all of her attempts to stop it, a single tear roll down onto her cheek.

Jhin turned blind eye to little taint caused by lone teardrop. "And what is your real name?" His voice was low, yet melodious and an actor...Even in the situation she found herself, Apple can't help but like the way he talk.

"I don't know." she answered."I am an orphan..."

His only eye fixed on her face and "From Ionia?" he guessed after a moment of halt. War between Demancia, Ionia and Noxia left many children without a family. Demancians took their kids under the wings of unyielding Demancia army while Noxians enlisted theirs, training little boys and girls, turning them into ruthless soldiers.

On the other hand, peace loving Ionians acted differently. Following the Ionian ideals, they sent childrens to the orphanages around the country, hoping Wuju masters and Kinkou Order protect their luck, the ninja order fall apart when Zed compromised with brotherhood and Yasuo killed his master just when Noxia invade Ionia. Left alone, Wuju masters couldn't stand against legions of Noxian soldiers... At the end, most of the orphans killed by the very war Ionians sought to protect them from while others escaping the untouched countries like Zaun, joining drug cartels as rookies or to Yordletown.

"How'd you know?"

"You have the face of an Ionian." he said, never stopping his walk."Round with hawk like features, especially at eyes, and dark but not overly, like Zaunites."

A moment of silence fell between the artist and the girl before she mustered her courage and speak."What will you do to me?"

"I certainly will not do anything to you." Stopping his aimless walk, the masked man went to corner of the room and reach for a bag. While pulling the zipper of leather, tied girl can hear his breathing, ragged, and heavy. "I will make something 'with' you.I'll take your insignificant being and turn it to something... they found you, they will cry."

"Will it hurt?" She managed to stay still but with last syllable, one after another drops of salty tears started running down on her cheek. Fearing that will anger Jhin, Apple gasped in fear and making him look at her unintentionally.

"What did I said to you?" he asked, droopping things he holding back to bag.

"I'm sorry..." Shivering in fear she squealed.

Jhin got onto his feet and walked to her. Expecting that he would hurt her, Apple get back till her back hit the wall. When realized that she can't escape, she shut her eyes tightly and wait for her painful punishment.

But instead of a slap, or worse, what she felt on her face was just the soft hairs of a brush. Opened her eyes to see whats happening, Apple saw Jhin kneeling on bed covering her bruises that become visible again. "Do you know have any idea about how hard painting these? Your skin is oily and it's not accepting the paint." Huffing under his mask, virtuoso keep painting her face diligently. "And why did you tried to escape?You think that I'm going to hurt you?For this small of a thing?"

Not wishing to disturb brush, Apple nodded slightly.

"Hmph...I never touch someone so beautiful, even if my own life at stake." Jhin uttered a scorning murmur. "Did Liev's gang hits you much?"

"Occasionally." she answered."Mostly if someone got snatched during a job. Or they heard you coming to town.."

Jhin let the brush go."So they beat you for relaxation." His only eye, green as the seas, fixed upon her face."Or out of frustration."

Apple nodded again.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that ever I found you." Jhin said, softly touching her face. Virtuoso's fingers were long and nimble on her skin."Nobody will hurt you again."

Holding her by the ropes around her body, Jhin bring Apple closer to edge o the bed then reached beyond girls shoulder and cut the ropes around her body fell to her legs and to girl, the man turned back to leather bag he left.

He's looking like searching something inside that bag, not that Apple can tell his true intentions.

"Get naked. Lost everything." He ordered nonchalantly. Between his sentences Jhin was murmuring, sounding like he was debating ideas with himself. "And don't go crying again.I'm not about to rape you."

"But maybe I'll." man in red capes talked.

"No he won't." Jhin assured the girl much to Vladimir's dismay."He's an eunuch."

Still the fear of pissing Jhin lingering deep in her loins, Apple did as ordered without saying lost her white shirt first, then discarded grey skirt clunging to her legs loosely.

Hearing the sounds of opening buttons Jhin looked upon his shoulder. Terrified girl stand next to the bed with underclothes are the only things on her body. She really are good looking, he had to admit. In addition to beautify of her face also her body was curvy at the right places."Lost everything." he repeated."Call me when all done."

Slowly Apple lost her undercloth too."I-I'm done."

Without turning his back, or giving a look, he threw her things he took from his bag. A high cut silk dress, colored rosy pink and a silver crown adorned with little diamons pieces here and there. "Dress up."

Fabric of dress was better than anything Apple wore in her short, miserable felt like water flowing between her fingers... And the crown, craftmanship was incredible and the diamonds were shining like they are real.

"Dress now, gawk in ave later." Jhin said, when he heard no noises of movement behind him.

"S-sure..." She started slipping into the silk, noticing that, dress fitting like it was made for her body.

"Did it fit?" Jhin asked, still not or not, watching a young women while dressing is an inappropriate act.

"Yeah." Apple replied. "How did you know my size?"

"Eye of the artist. Also my dashing friend over there has a deep understanding about human physiology." He closed the zipper then went to the mirrored desk in the room, pulling a chair. "Can I look now?"

"S-sure..."

Virtuoso turned around at once."My, my, it looks good on you." Studying details of her body, Apple felt was amazing that his gaze was this intense. She could only image how strong it will be, if his whole face were to open."Sit in front of the mirror."

Taking the comb in front of the mirror, Jhin started combing her long hair. He was careful in his movements, Apple's hair tangled more than one place and a strong tug at the strings could hurt the girl. Of course he can pull tool harder, forcibly unraveling knots without caring her cries. But there was no got all the time in world...

"Tell, what you mean when you say, Liev and boys beat you because of my arrivals to Zaun?"

Girl looked Jhin upon mirror, making an eye contact. "Group doesn't like out of fear. Even saying your name is enough for getting Liev angry."

Virtuoso smirked under mask to girl. Not that she can see..."My name has that kind of effect on people."

"He always thought that you'll kill him someday. " Apple said."Or wipe out entire gang."

Jhin already knew that. Underworld of Noxus provided him many contracts throghout Runeterra and ensured their willingness but even they can't do anything about fear caused by his infamous reputation. "Does he now..." Jhin started weaving her hair, forming a braid.

"And why should he do something like that for fucks sake?" Vladimir snared, red eyes lightening up. Stupidity always an irritating fact for the hemomancer."Now I really want to wipe them out."

"Don't bother. Common folk will never understand things drive us." Doning her hair Jhin get back.

Vladimir suddenly turned his head to door, his smirk wiped. "Jhin, we got company."

"And who are they?"

"Vi. Jayce too." Vladimir said after a moment of halt."The sniper should also be around somewhere."

An explosion heard from the outside. Roof of the nearest building was engulfed by a wawe flames.

"I wonder where she is..." Jhin murmured.

Vlamidir smirked to the virtuoso. "That bought us a few minutes."

Jhin take a step backwards."All I need is one. Hold her still."

Suddenly Apple felt like she was burning. Losing the feeling in her hands and feet, before she can open her mouth to scream all of her nerves stopped working in an instant while the hemomancer extended one arm forward.

"Too stiff. Tilt the head a bit."

"To left or right?" Vladimir asked.

"Right. Your right not mine."

Without an another word the hemomancer moved his fingers a bit. Muscles on the girls delicate neck crancked and stretched and her head slowly tilted to right like a puppet under the control of it's master.

Apple wanted to scream, to shout, do anything while her body violated. This was worse than the beatings she had. Even the rape didn't felt like this. Somebody was robbing her body from her grasp and there is nothing she can do about it.

"Perfect." Jhin produced a gun from his pocket. It felt cold in his hand. Small and shiny, the weapons hilt was heavily engraved. Personally made for personal business, he built it to take only one bullet. Slowly, Jhin put the weapon on the back of her head, the light barrel scratching Apple's skin."Let's make for the main act!"

Without a blink Jhin pulled the trigger. Powder burned brightly inside the gun for a moment before the bullet left the barrel and sank into the unfortunate girls head.

Blood splattered everywhere, to the table, to the broken mirror, to Apple's face. Her head fell on the wood surface with a loud thump.

Everything was perfectly on it's place. The scene before the virtuoso was perfect.

Then a knock heard on the doors frame. "Open the door Jhin!We know you're inside!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Open the door Jhin!"

There is no way Vi pinpoint their location this easily. Jhin knew it, and seems like Vladimir did too when he said without sound." _We're sold_."

" _I know_. _I guessed this_." Jhin mouthed back to him." _Get away_." He added, signing the door.

Having the silence as an answer were probably getting Vi angry. Well, _angrier_. The pink haired woman was always seems like she was angry to Jhin. "Open the goddamn door Jhin!" she shout.

The virtuoso waited until Vladimir stands next to him before giving his much anticipated answer. "Is that you Enforcer?"

"Of course it's me!"

"And you have the Defender of Tomorrow at your side?"

Vi laughed to him. "This is real cheap, tryna gain time like that!Open the goddamn door!" she shouted in her usual demeanor. Jhin was aware the only thing keeping her from breaking the door was the Jayce beside her. The Piltover born inventor had a nose for the traps. He probably felt the ones Jhin set too...

Yet, when his partner had a fuse shorter than the Baron Nashor's, it's not hard to dodge Jayce's foresight.

"I merely wish to check the Sherrif." Jhin replied with a slick smile in his voice."I heard some of the roofs were burning."

Knocks on the door stopped for a moment, before Jhin could hear the metallic crancking voices. He knew then the Vi has fallen to his game.

"Guard your eyes." Jhin said to the Vladimir just before the moment Vi's gauntlets met the hard wood of the door.

An explosion followed her motion. To outwards, bluish fire come ripped out from the door frame, power of the reaction threw the Vi and Jayce back.

It was his doing...Vladimir looked him with irritated sparks in his eyes. The virtuoso had no affinity for the magic like most or something another to give him an edge, yet his mind was more potent than the all magic in the League. Well...except his.

"You can't believe if I told you what one can do with some wires and a bit of thermal gel." Jhin said to the Vladimir's snaring expression."Come."

He walked to the broken door. Wooden pieces were everywhere, tendrils of green smoke emanating from the sides, darker in the places where the chemical burnt brightest. "Don't consume it." Jhin warned."I mixed the gel with some chemicals. Mostly harmless but the smoke of the mixture is paralyzing after being exposed to the high temperatures."

Frowning lightly, Vladimir put his left sleeve over his mouth. His right hand was standing ready in case Vi or more likely Jayce managed to escape from the explosion radius.

But they couldn't. After Jhin tear the curtain of smoke Vladimir saw Vi lying unconsious on the ground, next to the door pieces. Her armor saved her from the worst, there was only slight scratches on her face. Jayce was better since he was not present next to the door Vi set off the trap. He was also lying on the ground, his mighty hammer in his hands, eyes barely open. Vladimir understood whatever Jhin made, it's extremely effective, else he won't be in that state.

"Be thankful for the rules of the League and do not worry, Defender of was just a light neurochemical." Jhin explained while walking past him."You and your partner will be fine before the daybreak. But feel free to tarry as long as you want..."

And with a laugh, Jhin walk down to the hole.

"How did you know that Liev has sold us?" Vladimir asked while the duo walking on the streets of the Zaun.

Vladimir kicked a stone just before tackling. It was narrow, it was wet, it was filthy and it was warped, the road they were walking on. Just like the rest of this godforsaken place called Zaun.

"The seal on the envelope were tampered with. Badly repaired too." Jhin replied to Vladimir."So I guessed Liev has read the letter inside and seen the orders."

"Such as the smart of the peasants." Vladimir spat."But how did Vi found us?"

"The Enforcer and Sherrif has been tailing us since we depart from the Ionia." Virtuoso explained to the hemomancer."And they're in contact with the Ekko, who's been in Zaun nowadays. So when Liev squelad us to Ekko, he probably told the Sherrif."

"So that means..." Vladimir looked around with concerned eyes.

"Yeah. We're being followed!" Jhin shout out the second voice echoed throughout the dark street.

A chuckle heard in the air."You're amazing Jhin, you knew that?" A brash, teen voice it was.

He eyed the street with his only was too dark and Ekko had the home advantage. Hhin can't tell where the boy was residing at the moment. Luckily, Vladimir could.

"In the street next to us." The hemomancer reported.

Jhin shook his head."Shouldn't you be helping your comrades?"

"They'll be fine!" Ekko chuckled again."Caitlyn is with them."

Jhin did not expected everything went according to his plan, so when Ekko told him the Sherrif is fine he's not shocked. Also she was, by far, his favorite guess in who won't set off my traps game.

"So the Sherrif has unexpected." Jhin replied while they're walking to the street where Ekko has been hiding. They have no chance to hunt him down. Even if Vladimir could find his location and not a bloody tissue, he probably travel back in time to warp somewhere else.

This, if he's not mad enough to attack both.

Suddenly the reality in front of Jhin distorted. Fabric of the time and space teared, a bunch of electric blue sparks spreading around from a one fixed point in all that chaos. You don't have to be smart to understand something is not right.

So Jhin ducked under a sword that was not there for the moment, and escaped just in time from Ekko's materializing arm. While he reached to his gun, Vladimir jumped back in shock, clearly not waiting a kamikaze attack.

He smiled to Vladimir's snare."With love from Zaun." and joked after completely taking form.

"Ekko." Jhin the mask his voice was still calm, even after the suddennes.

Mohawk haired boy was standing with a relaxed stance. Head slightly tilted to side, his stick was resting on his left shoulder while his right hand toying with the mechanism on his belt.

But the virtuoso's keen eye saw the tension on the muscles of his hand. The tapping motion he did with his feet. A smile on his lips that couldn't reach the shimmering light on his eyes.

"You really did a number on the Vi."

"You should have seen the present we left." Jhin replied to the was smart but his brash attitude and reckless nature was his Achille's heel."The girl. What was her name again Vladimir?"

"Whore's doesn't have names."

Ekko laughed at the talk between them but it was not his usual warm and anger was packed into his voice. "You boys should really watch your mouths." He started walking to them.

"Or what, Zaunite?" Jhin said back.

After that was a mess. Ekko suddenly rushed to Jhin, only to threw back with Vladimir's magic. Blood taken a hold of him and crashed the boy to the ground. He used his time machine before his body could touch the cold tiles and warped to where he was standing before.

Jhin was ready for that. He shoot one round, enough to made Ekko back to the place he warped, rendering his teleportation useless for a moment. Blood droplets attacked again, but Ekko slid to his left and threw a bomb on his belt. The red liquid get back to shield the hemomancer and Jhin.

Jhin's eye searched the Ekko. He can't kill the boy, it was against the League rules, so Jhin had to force him to flee or create an opening for running away. Before Caitlyn joins the game.

"Slow him down." Jhin said to Vladimir." Can you draw his blood?"

"I thought you said no killing." Vladimir answered.

"I still do." Jhin replied."Only enough to slow him down. Can you do it?"

Vladimir thrown him a scorning look."I can draw an ounce of blood from a sting of a fly. Of course I can."

"On my mark then." Jhin eyed to Ekko, the boys location was ever changing, through he jump back an forth in drew a second gun."Now!"

Bloody curtain surrounding them suddenly disappeared and Vladimir shot his hand forward. With a simple movement of his slim fingers, he reached Ekko's blood and commanded it. Young Zaunite coughed and spit out blood, more of it was bleeding from his nose.

In a momentary confusion, Jhin fired both of his guns simultaneously, one to the Ekko's current location and other to his last seen. Bullets flew through the air, the one which is going to where stands catched air since he managed to teleport even in his bloody confusion. But the other one was more lucky, the tiny metal round found the mechanism on his belt and broke it down.

Not giving him any time to find his bearings Jhin ran to him. Now without his device and weakened by the sudden blood loss, Ekko can't move around anymore. A pleasing event...The virtuoso grabbed him by the collar. Looking up to him, Ekko's eyes were cloudy. Maybe Vladimir drew a bit too much blood, or maybe he did it just right.

Jhin hit him in the face. With the scabbard of his precious gun, he broke a few of Ekko's teeth. A small whimper heard then the teenager's eyes rolled backwards and he fainted in Jhin's hand.

"Where to now?" Walking to him Vladimir asked.

Jhin let Ekko's body fall to the ground."We still have our Liev's."

Vladimir kicked the Ekko's head."I'll rip that bastards heart open!" he sweared.

"You and me both." Jhin said. He leaned and took the Ekko's broken device.

With that they left.

It was a week before the duo manage to cath every member of the Liev's gang, Foxes. All of them carefully killed by Vladimir, the hemomancer slowly and surely painfully drew every bit of blood inside their loins and drown them in it. Add that to the week of travelling in the continent, it took two weeks them to return the League.

"I heard you had a concert last week Miss Buvelle." Jhin said to the Sona.

They were in the League only place in the Runeterra where a psychopath serial killer can talk a musical genius.

"Yes. You were not there though." The maven can't talk, yet her telepathic voice was more lively than all the Jhin heard before with his ears.

"I have some...business I have to attend." Jhin said in an apologizing tone."But I did not forget you."

In the years they spend with, Sona and Jhin had become friends. Not at first, and not easily, but bit by bit the virtuoso managed to break through barriers she erected whenever he was around. He played an harp undescrieably bad to make her laugh. Danced with her music. Sometimes accompany her with his voice, with the mavens approval of course.

But what really did the trick was flowers. Every kind of them. Whenever Jhin left for a job, he always returned with the bouqets made by flowers, special to the places he visit. And somewhere between the flowers they become...friends. Sona was still afraid of Jhin, though she accepted he was not the maniac killer as people said. Sure he was a killer, but also a good listener and musician.

"Phosphorite roses of South Zaun." He bring out the flowers hid his back. Green and blue, the boquet were shining with the colors of the petals."Never wither and shine brighter everyday. Like your beauty."

Sona took the flowers. A healty blush were spreading accros her pale cheeks."I...thank you." She was looking the flowers with a visible adoration.

"I hope you like them."

"I love them!" Sona replied.

"That's enough for me then."

"What is enough for you!?" Another voice cut the talk between them.

Jhin turned his back. Two woman, one with black hair and one with white locks were approaching to him."Will of the Blades, The Exile." He greeted them.

Riven simply said nothing, but gave a wordless greeting with her crimson eyes. Irelia was worse, while walking to him, her blades shifted in the air dangerously.

"The creep." She mocked hatred towards Jhin was not a secret in the League."Are you following the Sona again?"

"It was a talk between the friends." He replied.

"You mean you were harrassing her?" Irelia looked to the Sona for a moment."Don't defend him againist me Sona!"

Jhin did not replied at first. He can leave peacefully and that was the thing he would do if this was not his first talk in weeks with Sona.

The other choice were simple. He can ruin Irelia's days as she ruin his.

"I wonder if your daughter has that same forktongue you sported." Jhin was thankful for wearing a mask, o his smile would be all over the place.

Irelia's blades suddenly stopped while her eyes darken."What did you said?" She was like a snake getting ready for an attack.

"So the rumors were true. You really adopted the girl. Who's was it again?A guard died on duty?"

"You; " Her blades drew near, though Jhin didn't flich. She can't hurt him in there."Will not even talk about Diade!"

"Her name is Diade? Willful, in Ionia I suppose.I...worked with someone the same name at past."

Irelia were just a moment away from bursting. She probably thought that this was a threat to her precious adopted daughter.

After a minute of silence Riven was the one who's been talking."I think you should leave, Jhin."

"I do too, The Exile." Jhin turned to the maven beside him."I'm sorry for my behavior."

"I apologize on my friends behalf." She replied back with a smile. "Good day Jhin."

"Good day to you, Miss Buvelle, The Exile." And then he left the three woman on their own.

He was chuckling under his mask.


	3. Chapter 3

"So yer really threatened that Ionian!?" Graves asked with a loud laugh.The group that Jhin hanging with were odd at best. Graves, Twisted Fate, Jhin and League's scorching demon, Brand were sitting on around a round table. Brand's flames were diminished for the time being-since the oak furniture were not so strong against fire- and as everyone except Jhin drinking, fire demon was eating burned wood pieces from a large, metal bowl.

"How come you know it?" Jhin asked back.

Twisted Fate answered in place of the outlaw."Riven told Yasuo, he told Gragas, Gragas told Braum, Braum told Ashe, Ashe told Miss Fortune and Sarah told me. And I told Graves of course."

Graves took a breath of his puro as he tried to understand who told tobacco were spreading a pleasant smelling and warm smoke."Who da Sarah ? " He asked with confusion.

Twisted Fate understand what he said after hearing his there is no escape, he said, "Miss Fortune."

Graves took another smoky breath as the confused expression on his face seemed getting wider."Why did Riven talking with sword guy and more importantly why are ye on the first name basis with the pirate lass?"

"Are you living under a rock or something Graves?" Brand asked while stuffing his mouth with spoonful of wood pieces. They sound like cereals under his teeths."Two of them are going out for more than a month."

"Ye are fucking kiddin' ! Why no one told me!?"

Fate rolled his eyes. After years passed he expected to getting used to Graves' antics but soon he realized their effect will never fully fade."Probably because you're always drinking your ass blind before anyone can tell you anything."

"I'm an expert in a stressful field of work." said Graves. "Of course now and then I need a drink or two."

"You're an outlaw not a Zaunite chemist." Fate huffed. It's really a wonder how Graves could dodged the law and the bullets so long with his intelligence."Now and then doesn't mean every night and a drink or two is not more than a barrel."

The outlaws shoulders lowered."Maybe... wait." Then his eyes narrowed." Yer dodging my question."

"Which question?" Fate asked in such a surprise, one might think he never heard the word, question, before.

"Why are ye on the first name basis with Fortune?" Graves said, punctuating the word, Fortune.

"They're in a relationship for a...month?" Jhin answered in place of the card master.

Graves was shocked."Ye told him but not me!?"

"I didn't tell anyone!" Fate tried to can't understand why he was afraid of Graves' sadness."It's not even been month!"

"I overheard Miss Fortune asking for advice to Leona." Jhin said, smiling to that they can see under his mask."Also you had a faint smell of lilac and rose on you. The Bounty Hunter's perfume."

"O-oh ha-had I?Nothing get's past you Jhin." Chuckling nervosly, Fate put his hat to the table."Is it getting hot here?"

Jhin continued, not caring even a bit about his discomfort."She fears she's too brash for you. She heard you saying you like womanly womans."

"I-ıs she now?" said Fate.

"That's what yer call overhearing?" Graves asked."Then thank god ye weren't eavesdropping. Probably give a fuckin' opinion about the matter."

Jhin's laugh echoed in the small room."Do not act like you are not curious about the nature of their relation."

Everybody but the Twisted Fate in the table laughed. The card masters face was scrunched in worry.

"What is Sarah worrying about, Jhin?"

"As I said, she thinks she's far too much hardened for your liking. You know, the guns and all that stuff...Worrying she'll chase you away, if she doesn't change."

"Somebody is head over heels..." Graves commented, exhaling more smoke in the process."And that pirate lass no less..."

"Shut up for a minute Graves." Blinking, Twisted Fate said without really giving his attention to the outlaw."But I like her in the way she is. She doesn't need to change."

"That is also an another problem. You two are not talking enough." Jhin replied to the card master." Most of the things she knows about you is coming from the rumors or bar talks. You're not telling her how you feel. Basically she has an image of you in her head and she's trying to act according to it."

"How long you fuckin' overheard to know this?"

"I'm with Graves on this." Brand said.

Fate ignored them."She could've told me!"

"You think you're being too clingy. Did you ever talk this with Miss Fortune?" Jhin asked.

The question was catched the Fate off-guard. "Well...I..."

"You did you assume she wants a strong man. One without doubts and brimming with confidence." Jhin pushed further."You act on the image in your head, not the woman stands front of you. Fortune is strong I'm not going to deny, can get anything she wishes. But the only thing she wants a bit of your love and she has no idea how to ask for it. Is it so hard to understand her?"

Twisted Fate lowered his head in acceptance.

But that didn't satisfied Graves."If you can't understand, this is the part you go to yer woman, dumbass!"

Fate looked of them can see his desire to leave."If you gents permit me..."

Shrugging, Jhin said "Sooner you two settle things, better."

Brand followed him."Flames of love is not like of the a fan time to should be going." The Flame of Vengeance added.

He lastly looked to the Graves."Fuck off, now!" said the irritated outlaw.

"Well then, if you'll excuse me..." Getting onto his feet quickly, Twisted Fate grabbed his hat and proceed to the door. Jhin could see his hands slightly trembling.

"Go get that woman!" Graves shouted as the Fate exiting.

After the card masters exit, talk went on between the trio, mostly joking about the Fate and Miss Fortune. Occasionally they changed the subject but sooner or later one of them joked about Fate and the talk started all over again.

"So what's with you and Sona." When Brand asked the question Jhin was still laughing to a joke made by Graves. The question catched him so unprepared, he started coughing.

"What's with me and Miss Buvelle?" Jhin asked back when his coughing finally calmed down.

Graves laughed. No doubt Jhin's lose of compusure was entartaining him."Judging by the sudden loss of breath, a lot of things."

Jhin growled in annoyance. The outlaw can be very perceptive if he wishes to be."Bond between me and Miss Buvelle is merely a friendship."

"Friendship my ass." Graves replied.

"You are using fancy words when lying." Brand added."Like you're staging a play."

Jhin let out an annoyed voice again. Letting go of your serial killer persona was surely has it's disadvantages. Like an outlaw and an ancient flame demon digging your personal matters. "Did you ever look out in a snowy morning?"

"Hell, I've sleep outside in a snowy morning!" Graves answered.

"Did you ever see a lone flower that mornings? They're called hearth and blue petals gave them their name...Only one blooms in a huge field, full of beauty and if a hand to disturb it, the rose wilts immediately. Imagine you see it, heavy with snow, it's blood red petals are shining, like a lighthouse on a steep cliff. You want to have it but knew if you were to come closer it'll you watch it from far away, knowing it will never be yours. You understand that Graves?"

The Outlaw was dumbstruck. His puro was about to fell down to ground."A-aye." He stuttered.

"That's what Miss Buvelle is to me."

Maybe the talk went on if someone didn't knocked the door before anyone can say anything more.

The trio looked to each other. Twisted Fate can't come this early, or anytime for the night, there is no one brave enough to knock Brand's door.

"Yes?" Brand asked.

"Is the Khada Jhin with you?" The voice in outside answered. Slow and deep, it was clearly coming out of a male's mouth.

"Maybe!Maybe not!" Graves shout."Depends on who's askin' ! "

Jhin knew who was on the door."Is this urgent, Talon?" said the virtuoso. He still did not give the report of his last mission, nor hand out the piece he sent to took.

Answer was short."It is."

Jhin rolled his a hunch but he feels like Talon is the one whose wishing to see him. In years he work with Noxia, Talon was the only one who did not accept Jhin. Always questioning his ways, doubting his loyalty, fearing that Jhin will turn his gun to them one day...

To put it simple Noxian blade master was a pain in the ass.

Jhin got up and get the door. There he was, standing in front of the door with his usual violet robes and an annoyed look plastered his bony face.

"Who wants to see me?" Jhin asked, knowing even get an answer for this simple question will be a problem.

"Commander Darius."

He means, I get him out of his bed this late, just to get him more annoyed in case you finally did something wrong.

Still there is no fighting with him."Lead the way." said Jhin.

Without saying anything Talon turned around and began walking. The virtuoso followed him quietly in the dark halls of the League.

Only three, in addition to Talon was expecting him. In a dimly lit room, Darius, red haired Katarina and Draven were sitting side to side with Draven putting his feet on the table before them.

"Commander." Jhin give a graceful greeting with his head." Sinister Blade, Sir Draven."

Darius shook his head in reply, his brother though only yawned and stretched his arm.

"No hi's to Talon?" Katarina asked, smirking. She knew the animosity Talon harboured against the Jhin and always enjoyed pushing their buttons.

However Jhin was ready for the question. Over the years they worked together, or more likely the impromtu Noxian committe acted as his superiors the virtuoso has seen every kind of joke."The Blade's Shadow and I greeted each other beforehand, Miss DuCoutue."

"You do now?" Katarina replied with her cherry red lips. Her hair and eyes were in the unique harmony of crimson and green but also beauty of her face can't be denied. Only if she wasn't a sadistic bitch..."Maybe he told you why you have been called?"

"I assume it was about the device I need to acquire." Sliding his hand to his pocket, Jhin pulled out a tube with cables inside it. "Device of the Ekko."

"You found it?" Talon asked in disbelief.

Jhin looked to the robed man in triumph. "Certainly wasn't easy after all the precautions Ekko took."

"And here we're because Talon thought you couldn't made it." Draven said with anger in his voice."This late of night we're holding a council for a job done right...Damn great."

It was his job before Jhin. Talon was the first one sent to fetch the device but at some point, because he did not worked together the contracts there, blade master screwed it up, making Ekko realize someone was after him.

Jhin smirked under his mask. He knew Talon would assume that the virtuoso will fail like him. But he never guessed that proving him wrong feels this good. He put the little machine on the table.

"Good job, as always Jhin." Katarina complimented.

"I have a question. About the Foxes." Darius said.

"Ask away commander. No part of my is hidden to you."

"Why did you killed them?"

Jhin was also expecting that question."After the Blade's Shadow's fail, Ekko took some precautions. Get into touch with some people in Ionia, holing up in fortified place and so on... Catching him alone were nearly impossible and attacking to his position going to be a smoke him out when I arrived in the Zaun I sent a sealed, fake letter, their execution sentence by me in particular, to Liev because I know he's going to read it. At the same time I kidnapped a girl, someone Ekko knew. So when he read it, Liev called the boy to pursue me and Vladimir. Also before leaving, I made sure to arouse the Sheriff and The Enforcer's suspicions."

"So when Ekko learned their arrival, he muster courage to face you. You act like it was a simple murder while fighting with Ekko and took his device." Katarina added."Brilliant."

"More or less. But to make it look like real, I have to kill all the Foxes because I learned that they're whistleblowers." Jhin completed his explanation."Vladimir's rage was all real since he didn't know about my plan at all."

After a short stop to process what Jhin did, Darius asked."Are we the only ones know this?"

"Yes, it should be." The virtuoso answered without a second acting like it.

"Very well, Khada will send to you." Darius make a move with his hands, signing him to get out."You may go now."

"Good night, Commander, Miss DuCoutoue." Jhin turned around."Sir Draven."

Then with his dancing steps, the virtuoso left the room.

After Jhin's leave, Talon said, "We should kill him."

Darius was inspecting the Ekko's device with pleased eyes, when Talon talk. Lights in his eyes dimmed slowly as he lifted his head to face with Talon.

"What does that mean?"

"Talon is just upset because Jhin succeed where he fail." Linking her delicate arm to Talon's, Katarina placed a peck to his cheek."Nothing serious."

However, Talon wasn't sharing the same idea."You heard what he did. Will we let him wander?"

Yawning again Draven said, "Only thing I heard was Jhin pull through where you screwed."

"It's not his success what's bothering me." The blade master replied, though not to the Draven but to knew his brothers words were also his."The way he did things is problematic."

"Aaah comeeee ooon Talon." Katarina groaned."His plan was is going to be suspicious."

"Devilish. Word you're looking for is devilish, Katarina." Talon objected sternly, stressing the word, devilish." Jhin know no 's time we finish him."

"Over the years, Jhin only did what's necessary." Darius said slowly.

"He did what he decided necessary." Talon fixed him, not caring about Darius' glare. "He's a if his sick mind decides our deaths are necessary?"

Draven laughed to his words."We're the ones who supplying, protecting and helping wants us out of the picture?"

"You really think he's accepting this situation because what, we're feeding him? The time will come, sooner or later, his ego wouldn't take anymore of his it'll be only a countedown to our deaths."

"Either you're taking him too serious or taking us too light, Talon." Darius commented.

"You see the plan he did for only a you really think we'll be able to see the knife when he decides to stab us?"

"Oh shut up kid!" Annoyed by Talon's stubbornness Draven got onto his feet and walked to the soon followed him."Nobody is going to kill us and if someone going to try, they're fucking welcome!"

Katarina hold his arm a bit more forcefull, signing him not to talk Talon not going to bother anyway. He watched their leave with scorning eyes under his cowl.

"I'll see your bravado when we all fall to the web he weave." Talon muttered.

After door closed behind their back, "Don't you worry about Jhin, Tal." said Katarina slowly.

Oh how little she knew...


	4. Chapter 4

" I'm going to talk with the Summoners!" A very angry Irelia sweared. Her eyes were feverish with the alcohol she took."That man! He's a murderer!"

Riven sighed as she wondered for how long Irelia's rumbling will go on. After Jhin's threat about her daughter Irelia were practically boiling with rage. For a day she sweared around...

Even now, when they are sitting in the Summoner's, the most popular bar of the League, she was still on and talking how Jhin should be punished and whatnot...

"They probably knew it already." Vi said matter-of-factly. Pinkette and the rest of the Piltover folk returned shortly after the virtuoso did, empty handed and routed... As Riven understood from the stories , he put the Vi and Jayce out with a some kind of neurochemical gas, obliberated Caitlyn's position by using explosives and took Ekko down in a two-to one fight.

Damn resourceful, that Jhin was.

"Everyone knows it. His murders on the first page everytime, continent wide." Jayce added. The inventor wasn't on his prime shape that night. Hair messy, eyes unfocused, as he was drinking from a mug, he was also absentmindly playing with a metallic piece in his hands. He still couldn't fully get over the loss he took.

"As the rumors goes on, judging from the position corpse in, it was a scene from the book, Smile of the Sparrow. Or a brutal and sick adaptation." Ekko joined the conversation. Zaunite boy was healing after the fight in Zaun. There was no external injury, not a cut or a bruise, but something was wrong with his body. As the healers said, Vladimir did a hjink on him while drawing his blood."Yet none can do anything. Because he is a League champion."

"Book was the Killing the Sparrow and no, because none can catch him." Jayce replied."Not we, not you, not the whole Ionian council..."

"They don't want to catch Jhin anyways. Ionian council turning blind eye to his actions." said Vi."They're content with condemning him for his unmentionable actions."

Jayce shook his head."Not anymore. Or on the contrary. Karma made it."

"Did she passed the proposition on the council?" Riven asked in Ionian women presented a proposition about re-awoking the Jhin's criminal status, which is lifted after he joined the League, despite knowing if the council approves, it'll worsen the relations with Noxia.

"A week ago." Jayce answered."Still you can't kill him but open usage of firearms, swords and magic against Jhin is free if he's on the Ionian soil. But all of that is meaningless as long as nobody can laid eyes on him. "

"Coward bitch! This is not meant to end him!" Irelia was not on the Ionian council, but can influence the decisions it made indirectly through her connections."I made the council listen her and in return what she did? She was only trying to scare him off!"

"And what more she could do? Incite Jhin more than you should and he turns to you." Sona asked through her telepatic link."He's an assasin. Maybe he can't kill Karma as long as she stays as one of the League heroes but other council members don't have that kind of protection."

"Sona's right." Riven approved her friend."He has the power of the Noxia behind himself. Spark his ire and see what he can do."

Jayce was on the same page with them too. "Also if they to go further, that shows the whole world the Ionia fear from the Khada Jhin and his actions."

"Are they not?" Irelia hissed through her teeth."We fear from Demancia, Noxus, Chemlords of the more on the list won't do any difference. Ionia, once proud country now fears from a madman."

"Oh, calm down Irelia." Sona rolled her blue eyes. In a sense she's not fearing Jhin as the others do.

"He threathened me in case you didn't notice!" Irelia shouted. Some of the heads turned to table.

"He mocked you, because you mocked him." Sona replied to the angry woman. "He's not going to do anything with your daughter."

"She is right, love." Caitlyn, the aloof sniper of Piltover, finally decided to talk. Her mascared eyes were blue and deep, with her regal way of talking she could be a noble lady. "Jhin has many flaws but being stupid enough to tell you his next target is not one of them."

Irelia was not having any of that."He's a madman!"

Caitlyn smiled to her warmly."But that's what making him vaguely predictable, love. Not on the who he'll choose next but who he won't." Sherrif's lips curled up deliciously as her smile widen." Jhin only kills someone when he sees an artistic value in that. A young woman or men most of times but no children."

"Like you can know him for real!" Irelia replied.

"We're trying to catch him for nearly a year." said Caitlyn, looking to her comrades." I've been familiar with that man more than any."

Although they found no success in that. It was different than the other murder cases,tThey already knew who the killer was. Problem was cathing him on the work. Caitlyn guessing that this must be occurred Jhin mind too, since his highest priority was always keeping himself hidden until the moment he hit. With no solid way to tell who will Jhin choose, only option Caitlyn had, was to stop him before he can do anything. But that also was nearly impossible. The virtuoso was alwas working very tidy. In early days, when the chase newly started and there was people who were willing to sell Jhin, he cut every loose end always and make sure every murder was more gory than the last until none could dare to cross him.

"Not more than Sona over here, love." Irelia snorted.

Maven knew it, sooner or later Irelia will bring this up. As much as Sona like Irelia, she hated her overprotective tendencies. She turned her head to Riven for support.

"Well, he seems take liking to you..." said The Exile.

Suprisingly Caitlyn was the one who saved the Sona from a heated debate about whether Jhin liked Sona or he was just a friend.

"She's an another quirk in his warped personality, I believe." Sheriff commented."Psychopats cannot process the emotion of love, as we do or like someone other than themselves. But in this case, Jhin seems fixated to Sona. He brings you flowers, right?"

As her cheecks begin reddening, Sona answered her question."Sometimes..."

"Can he be thinking about killing her?" Ekko asked."You know, maybe he's fattening the goose..."

"No. Jhin never showed any affection to those he choose." Caitlyn firmly rejected the boy's notion."He's not seeing them as human. For his eyes, victims are mere tools."

"Then maybe he really taken a liking to her?" said Vi.

"As that seems probable, I don't think Jhin has the function of liking things other than his own creatings." Caitlyn replied."He is narcisstic, that I'm sure."

"So you have no idea at about the very things going on before your eyes." Irelia said rudely. "And here you are, guessing about who he'll choose next."

"Love, if I understand Jhin as I do you, I won't be sitting here, scrapping the bits of his puzzled personality..."

With that, Heirmendenger, sitting on the table next to them for the whole night, get onto his feet and left without listening anymore. Talk between the group was still going on but there is nothing to listen, he heard what he had to.

The yordles next stop was the Jhin's room in the League living area, the virtuoso used was small and tidy. A simple bed was lying near to the one wall, a table and two chairs next to another.

"Is that you, Mister Heimendenger?" Jhin asked when he heard his door opening. He was sitting on his bed, newspapers from all continent spreaded to the sheets.

"I am, Mister Jhin!" The little creature squaled.

On his short legs, the Revered Inventor entered the room. He was small, his yellow hair covering most of his body while big scientist googles rested on his eyes.

"How are you?" Heimendenger asked.

"Fine, thank you." Jhin wasn't wearing his mask right now, but covering his face with a black cowl. Only one of his eyes was open, as it was when he uses his mask."How was your eavesdropping session?"

Looking to Vladimir, whose literally sitting on the table, he didn't answered.

After a moment of silence Jhin saw where he was looking."Vladimir is with me. No worries."

"How you doin' Professor?" Vladimir asked, cruelly smirking to him.

Since Heimender was older and considerably smarter than the rest of the yordles in the League, he know who is the deeds bring pain to many, alongside the happy folk of the Bandle town."F-fine Mister Vladimir."

Vladimir could sense the fear bubbling inside the yordle. Blood pools in his eyes sockets boiled with excitement. Fear was always a potent stimulator for the was killed Heimendenger's kind before too...

"Were there anything worth mentioning?" Jhin asked, suddenly pulling Heimendenger out from his fear-induced trance.

Yellow yordle shrugged."Ionian woman is still angry with you while Riven thinks getting on your bad side is foolish. As I understand from the flow of the talk, also Sona has the same idea."

Of course, Heimendenger's being in the Summoner's was no coincidence. Before Jhin left for his night with Brand and the others, he tasked the yordle with listening Caitlyn and rest of her team in exchange for some exotic pieces from Zaun.

"Anything from the Piltover?" Jhin asked.

He wasn't concerned about what Vi or Jayce or the others think. Only Caitlyn was important. The Sherrif was the only one who could get a bit close to catching the virtuoso even though she still can't pin down any crime on him.

"Vi thinks the Ionian council doesn't care what you do as long as you don't touch them personally. Jayce says they can't act because they can't catch you."

"Partially true. And the Sherrif ?"

"Well, she's a bit curios case. Unlike the others she's religiously avoiding making assumptions about you. So nothing is clouding her judgement."

Jhin replied with a tone showing his admirance."As expected from her."

"That being said, she also has a profile of you."

The virtuoso diverted his eyes to the yordle."A profile?"

"Noted down all of your works, characterstics, way of doing thing's. She is not clearly understanding what will you do next but able to narrow her guesses."

"Is she now..." Jhin murmured.

"She has a list now." Vladimir laughed."Don't forget the idea she gave to Karma."

Jhin slowly shook his head. Of course she was smart, but he never guessed Caitlyn took it this far to catch eye clouded with forming thoughts."Anything other than this, professor?"

"Karma managed to pass her proposition." he replied quickly."You'll be shot if you seen on the Ionia."

Old news. Jhin's connections in have Ionia already informed him about goings in the parlament and the council. He knew the decision even before it made.

Still, he smiled and reached forward."Very well professor."Grabbing a mechanical part under the papers spread around, Jhin tossed it to the Heimendenger."Hope you find it pleasing."

"Is it really a piece of Ekko's time device?" The yordle asked with excitement.

"The stopper, to be exact. He's anchroing his after image with this."

The little creature was nearly shaking as he inspected the piece in his hand."M-marvelous."

As he turned around to leave, suddenly Vladimir reached to the yordle and his body freezed in it's place.

Leaving the papers to lay Jhin get on his feet. His eye wasn't smiling anymore, no, it was burning with something otherwordly. "The Ionian Sun called my last work as brutal and grotesque, professor. Zaun Post saying it was a portrayal of a sick mind. Daily Demancia, is calling people to duty of stopping me."

Vladimir lightened his graps on Heimenger body. As he was squaled loudly Jhin grabbed his shoulders. The virtuoso was stronger than he seems and power behind his hands made the yordle squeal even louder. "Look into my eye, professor." Forcefully, he fixed Heimendenger's head in one place.

"What do you want!?" The yordle whined in fear."I did as you told!"

Smart, effective and easily frightened... Heimendenger could be the best agent Jhin worked with so far.

"This is a mere warning. If I hear this night between you and me from another soul, newspapers will talk about you too." Jhin shook the yordle's little body."Do you understand me, professor?"

Heimender just stood there as he frozen in getting out an answer, Jhin had to shake him for a few times.

"C-c-crystal clear, mister Jhin." said Heimendenger when he finally found his bearings again.

Jhin lingered a bit his only eye to Heimendenger's laboratory googles, he looked him as he could see the yordles let his shoulders go."Good." The virtuoso said as the lights in the green of his eye died down."You may go now, professor. I wish you a pleasant night."

Vladimir pulled his magic back, leaving Heimendenger's body to him.

"M-me too mister Jhin." The yordle stuttered as he turned and hurriedly went to the door.

Duo has ceased their talking until Heimendemger left the flat completely.

"Was that necessary?" The hemomancer asked when the door opened and closed.

Jhin shrugged."Professor is a yordle. Carefree by the nature."

"Letting him walk I mean." Vladimir replied."Who knows when the little shit will run his to whom?He hails from Piltover, you know."

"Killing is prohibited by the League." Jhin sat on his bed again."And since I can't cut his tongue, this is the best I could do."

"I can place a sickness in his blood." Vladimir proposed."It'll kill him after three months."

Jhin arched an eyebrow in suprise, not that Vladimir can see."You can do something like that?"

Vladimir smirked to his reaction."Easier than drawing blood from a time traveller." he replied, referring their latest endeavour in the Zaun."Left no tracks in his blood too."

Jhin chuckled to his... friend. Vladimir was great, only if he doesn't had a tendency to kill the living around him."We could do, if I don't think he has a use for later."

The hemomancer frowned.

"What's more to it..." Jhin sighed as he grabbed a page of newspaper."What will we do about the Sherrif ?"

"Do you think taking actions necessary?"

Vladimir's arrogancy was keeping him from seeing Caitlyn as a threat. Or even if he does see it, he was probably thinking that he could easily get rid of her.

"Immediately." Jhin replied firmly." Now she can know who I won't kill. Tomorrow, she'll know who I will."

"She's troublesome but..." Vladimir's eye narrowed."I don't think the woman is that much of a threat."

"Not now, but sooner or later she'll be." Jhin protested."We need to do something... "

Vladimir's eyebrow sentence nearly always carried a plan with it. "And you propose...?"

"Before our next assignment, which is if we take the Noxian's bloodlust into consideration will be probably after two weeks, at least we should begin executing a plan to confuse her." Jhin answered." And since this requires my utmost attention, you need to tend the other things."

"Such as?"

"The latest business with LeBlanc. She and I were on a new deal for chem supplies before the Zaun work come up..."

"Fuck me!" Vladimir vocalized his concerns on the matter unceremoniously. "I can't do administrative shit!"

Jhin was waiting for this a man of action, Vladimir had a little love for sitting behind a table and talk on the numbers. Add that to his dismay against The Deciever and...voila!

Yet he didn't lost his composure."Details already completed and package routes decided. Money paid, words taken. Everything is ready."

Vladimir was confused."So what will I negotiate?"

Jhin scratched his face over fabric. That was the tricky part. On the papers everything were right, there was nothing to talk anymore. Roads were carefully choosen, officals bought personally by Jhin and distribution points was ready. So Jhin too had no idea on what will they be negotiating. Only a meeting request from LeBlanc.

An obvious trap. A trap that Jhin wouldn't walk into but send a pawn that can overcome LeBlanc's magic. The only question was who set him up and he's going to learn after Vladimir's inevitable brawl.

Meanwhile, he also had to find a way to take Caitlyn out of the picture.


	5. Chapter 5

Here's for the latest chapter! Sorry, it took longer than it ever should be with school going on and all...

The hemomancer was angry. No matter how hard he tried, he can't see the logic behind working with The Deciever. Platin haired man never liked risking his own hide and working with Noxian women felt just like that. LeBlanc was a snake, a well-known one for biting even her closests. So when he made his way to Noxia for the final preparations, three days prior to their talk, Vladimir was grumbling.

"I can't fucking believe this." he murmured as he begin to disrobe. It was time for a new voyage and he needed to prepare it." LeBlanc!"

He took his shirt off first. Nothing too see under it, no well defined muscles, no toned abs like some other champions. Only a slender body with unblemished snow pale skin and long limbs. There were some scars of past on his back. Crosses never healed fully, Vladimir was guessing that they were the parting gift of his past mentor. Thin body's own fragility wasn't bothering Vladimir. His being was strong, far too strong than any other and his strength was not lying in his arms, nor in another muscle.

Grabbing a clean from the shelves stood around a mirror, serving as a impromptu armoire, Vladimir put it on. He wore only white, pure, cleaned by the same dry cleaner every third day of the week. Another color was not accepteable, nothing could go with crimson better than white. Black was the color of the peasants, no matter what people say about it.

He tied the laces in front of the shirt before reaching to his breeches. Black trousers were sufficient for the nature of the meeting. Not that Vladimir cared. Damn, it could be a royal diner and he still wore trousers and crimson robes. " Fashion is beneath me."

So as the humans that determines it. The hemomancer never saw others as his equals, be it the heroes or prodigal mages in the League. Even Jhin, surely he exceeds the borders of a normal man, but still was nowhere near Vladimir. People sometimes suprised when they heard that Vladimir was afraid of the virtuoso. Why wouldn't he? His attacks, at the same time, personally and not personally at all. Always hits too close to home, but never quite there. In the older days, when others didn't know the borders of Jhin, Garen made the mistake of calling the virtuoso as a madman in front of heroes. Jhin's eye smiled in response, after the night ended he left. Next day, he kidnapped Lux, leaving her staff on Garen's door as a warning. Half of the League tailed him, causing a fight that the Demancian legion Garen brought with himself scattered by the cannons of Gangplank's ship Fortuna, while an early times hero killed by Jhin, bringing Ezreal near death in a one on one fight. At the end Xin Hao found Lux in the jungle of Summoner's Rift, tied to the blue watchers rest. After incident summoners made new rules so heroes can't kill each other.

He finally grabbed his crimson jacket, also was a gift from his mentor. It was still early, but before departing there is still places Vladimir had to visit.

"No rest for the wicked."

His stop was a familiar one. Room of a summoner in the administrative wing of the League. He had to get a "blessing" from her before leaving for good luck.

Normally, every champion was free to left League after signing their papers and made it announced so no summoner try to summon them while they're absent. Officals like Caitlyn and military personnel like Darius could leave without notifying anyone but freelance ones such as Vladimir or Miss Fortune had to get an permission.

Procedure's itself was easy. Go find one of the summoners, tell them you want to leave for a time being and get your papers. The only problem was getting it announced. You see, when one wish to embark on a illegal trade business voyage, he never wants to be followed and with Caitlyn waiting on the side like a vulture, Vladimir had no chance but to take some precautions.

The hemomancer entered the room without knocking on the door. It was small and cramped, without windows it had to be lighted from inside and empty, save for the woman behind the desk in the room.

With slow steps Vladimir get inside, closing the door behind himself. Black colored wooden tiles squaled under his boots, whines of the wood echoing on the naked walls. Someone painted them black too, like trying to make the room appear darker than it has been.

"Vladimir?" a soft voice asked.

There she was. Behind her desk, her face hidden under the cowl of her ornated summoner robes. Golden threads were flowing on the black fabric, interlocking with others, creating stars and other symbols that empowering their magics.

"May." he smiled as he greeted the summoner." How you doin'? "

"No summoner?" Vladimir could see the arching eyebrow in her voice. It was like a silk scarf, but someone was poking him with a knife under it.

Though without caring about that knife, he replied "We long past formalities, darl' "

Many people though that the summoners was the powerful party in the League. They're the ones who were holding all the champions under control like collared dogs and could drag them to the fields by their leashes.

Reality, as always, far from that. In real, heroes were holding all the power. Magic coming from them, they let themselves to be called, fight by their own free wills. And the only reason they're still not each others throat was the League's status of being the biggest political cabal in all the continent. It was great for making people forget about everything and replenish their patriotism. Hell, with his terrible policies normally a king like Jarvan would lost his throne long ago, but since he was fighting in the League and shooting things like 'For Demancia!' and such, his people loving him. Except for the Karma, all of the rulers were losers actually. In an era that noble families' powers determined by their military powers, Crownguard could withstanding everything because both of their heirs are champions. DuCoutoue could pull the strings of Noxia thanks to the League. Both Darius and Garen were terrible tacticians but since they fought in the Summoner's Rift, they were both still respected generals.

In short, it was great for controlling the sheeps.

"My status demands it, Crimson Reaper." The female summoner replied.

"Fuck your status then May." Vladimir snared. He shall not put up with her shit. Take her robes and the magic that let her link her mind with the champions, she was just a human, plain and simple.

May let out a chuckle. "I see you're rather cheerful today. Something happened?"

"I am departing. For two weeks." Vladimir answered.

"Here for to give me good news? " said May. Nothing was visible under the cowl but Vladimir felt like she was smiling." Well, bon voyage, then."

And that only served to get him angry. He hated to depend on the summoners and summoners exploiting his weakness. "If you don't want to die by an unnamed blood sickness, don't fuck with me right now May. "

"You need your papers signed?"

"You're still fucking with me." Vladimir growled, taking a step forward.

May didn't flinched. Vladimir could kill her easily, she knew it, but him doing something like that get Vladimir kicked out of the League. To outside, exposed and alone. Devoid of the high walls of the League or the protective rules...

"Calm down. " The cowled summoner said to Vladimir. " You want to fly low, right? "

Vladimir smiled to her words. It was always like that with the summoners. Show a bit of power and they just come around... That was the way of the summoners, acting all high and mighty but scaring away when someone choose to challenge their authority.

"Also a passage to leave. " Vladimir replied. " A quick one. "

" What do you think I am ? " May asked.

Vladimir shrugged. " An overestimated desk boy ? Don't worry, you'll get your payment. " He throw a coin sack to the desk.

Without looking inside, May greedely took the sack, hiding it to the long stretches of her robes. " Kech will be waiting you."

" Kech? The frog guy? "

May approved him with her head. "That one. "

"What? " Vladimir asked. " He'll teach me how to swim ? Or eat other champions ? "

" So I can't fuck with you but you can with me? "

" I honestly don't know anything about Kech."

May sighed. The hemomancer was crazy, but his madness not like the other crazys in the League. His was just a brilliant mind, overloaded. But at the times like this, if he's not willing to use it, he could be stupider than Alistair.

"He has some... abilities. Can transport you."

" I'm okay for secret routes and safe passages. But taking help? " Vladimir shook his head." My departure had to be secret. I can't use him, or anyone in this."

May shook her hand. " Kech is outlaw kind. Jhin's also using him time to time. " May tried to assure him. " Last thing he wants to help. "

"I assume what he is when you recommend him. Your simple mind is easy to read. " Vladimir replied to her.

Summoner tried to ignore the insult. " Why not then? "

" Precisely because he's the outlaw kind. There is no honor between thieves and alike. Kech will sell me as soon as he find an opportunity. "

" You have no other chance." Tilting her head, she looked him in the eyesç " Every and all gates are being watched right now. By Galio. Walking out by normal means is impossible for you."

Vladimir growled in annoyance." Fuck..."

" He won't sell you, Vladimir. "

" How so? " Vladimir frowned." Is he a boy scout? "

" No, but he's also not your everyday smuggler too. "

" He's a giant frog with a maw like Baron's. Of course Kech is not my everyday smuggler. " said Vladimir. " His differences doesn't make him trustworthy. "

Working with Jhin was easy. The virtuoso was always open for debating ideas, taking necessary risks, sometimes using unorthodox methods. Say that Kech can help him and at least he thinks on it before rejecting. He was like steel, can bend to adapt the situation at hand. Vladimir was like pure iron, strong but never yielding.

And that's what making dealing with him so hard. There was simply no turning Vladimir back once he set his mind on something. His dislike towards to the summoners was not making it more easy, either.

" Northern roads throughout the Old Ruins swarming with Demancian troops. " But there is still ways to make Vladimir come around. Once understand how he thinks, it was not hard to control it. " East and west passages crashed last month. "

First May had to make him believe that there is no way, other than the one with the Kech.

" Way under the Baron's ? Shouldn't be guarded this time of the year. "

Bingo! He's looking for a way. Now, she'll narrow his exits until there is no exit.

" Barren. But even if it wasn't it's still only usable if you can put the Baron down. " May answered. " So as long as you are insisting on going alone, that one is not suitable. "

" Maybe the way Twisted Fate uses when he sneak out? Don't tell me I can't use that one too."

"You can." May shrugged again. "

As long as you wish to travel to the nearby town for a night of gambling. And no you can't go from the river like Gankplank does. Man has a fucking ship waiting for him. "

Vladimir closed his eyes. They had six roads, six separate routes to travel out from the League, yet somehow he had no safe way... Either they're found out and secured or collapsed. What kind of misfortune was it ?

"So all of our exits become useless simultaneously? And the ones are still open the ones I can't travel? "

Female summoner shook her head. "More or less."

"You're relaxed stance on the matter irritating me..." said Vladimir.

"I am relaxed because I have the solution to your problem." May replied confidently.

"The Kech. " Vladimir spat.

"The Kech." May confirmed.

"Maybe I should go try my luck with Galio? " The hemomancer replied with a small smirk. A smirk that was capable of turning into a something bad...

Realizing that Vladimir was not taking being trapped well enough to stand down and reason with her, May spoke fastly. " I don't know what you heard about Kech but that thing is unlike we ever saw. He can safely deliver you to the Ionia. And quickly too."

"And what would he shall be taking as his payment !? A soul? "

"What? " May asked in confusion. Could Vladimir actually knew who the Tahm Kech is?

"I am not ignorant as you think, summoner. I know Kech is not a common rogue." He proved May's concerns were right. "I also know he cannot be bought with money. Probably will help me free for the moment, only to return back and wish something I will not be able to give him. "

" Well, Kech can always be dealt later. " May said in a suggestive tone.

Vladimir resisted the urge to facepalm. So much for the smart of a summoner...

"You're not understanding. You're not understanding! There won't be a later, summoner. As long as Kech is alive, I will be living on loaned time. One can't simply refuse Tahm Kech and live on. "

" You're worrying too much. He won't be able to do anything as long as you're champion. "

Vladimir laughed in scorn."You think your petty rules runs deeper than Kech's magic?" Then his eyes clouded with thoughts. " No, I will have to kill him... "

"You know that's not possible. "

"I know what is possible and what is not summoner, don't bother with using your mind. This is too important to spare a frog... Arrange a meeting with Kech tonight. "

"I'm not your errand boy Vladimir!"

In the blink of an eye, the hemomancer closed the distance between them, grabbed May from her collar and pulled forward.

Red pools of his eyes begin boiling. "You are what I say you are!" There was no arguing with him anymore.

Then throwing her back to the chair she was sitting, Vladimir turned around and walked out.

Review, fav or do both, if you like it!


	6. Chapter 6

Since he was preparing to made a pact with it, Vladimir had to find a way to kill Tahm Kech... Before the time it will come back to recollect what was promised. Many champions were not counting the frog as a threat because they were too occupied with their immediate enemies while summoners focused on keeping the champions from Void under control. Only those who hail from Ionia were aware of the dangers it posed...

If being an Ionian has a perk, it would be the stories. Many Ionain knew almost every champion's story and as child Vladimir heard those stories too. About Lee Sin, Varus and The Pit of Pallas, Door of Clarisse-which is the door Braum was using- , Lissandra and Black Ice... Long and interlocking with each other, more akin to the ballads than folk tales. The heroes were ever-changing but amongst all stories there was one particular character, a demon, appeared in a repeating pattern. Everytime a frog shaped gourmand came forth in the time of great despair. Sometimes it lends a hand in exchange for a precious thing, other times just tries to get the hero out of the way. But no matter what it did, Tahm Kech was always there. Like it carved itself to the minds of all storytellers.

So Vladimir knew how Kech lure those in despair, made deals with them then killed and feasted upon the unfortunate bastards. Other countries had boogeyman to scare children. Ionia had Tahm Kech. He being a native Ionian, Vladimir also knew killing it wouldn't be easy. The frog was around for a very long time, has seen the every part of the known and unknown world for countless times while killing and decieving for the whole time. It couldn't be old as Brand, but definitely peers with Galio and other "antic" beings.

In addition to all that, as if it was not enough, Kech also seems like it's bearing knowledge on the hemomancy. Not like Vladimir either. Platin haired hemomancer was aware that he had a limited knowledge on his magic since the only thing he could learn from was his late teacher while Tahm Kech lived in the eras that blood magic could openly practiced. On top of that it had lifetimes to learn.

It couldn't use it, that much Vladimir was sure of. Kech never portrayed as using any kind of hemomancy, so it shouldn't be able in real life too. But it must knew how to counter or repel the magic or there was simply no way Kech could stay alive after facing hemomancers. There should was a story about it, only if Vladimir could remember...

But as he was walking down to docks it had to wait. Vladimir needed his head clear right now, free from all worries that could cloud his judgment. Tahm's curse was important, but this meeting was too.

"Let's do it..." Vladimir murmured to himself when he saw the towering figure in near of the water.

Gankplank, the notorious pirate captain, arch nemesis of Miss Fortune was standing under the cold night air, a calloused hand resting atop of the gun in his belt and the other holding a sailor axe. The scars on his face was hid with a thick beard, while the upper part of it darkened under his signature captain hat.

" Will he come cap'n ? " The man standing beside Gankplank asked. His voice was gruff. He was a head shorter than the captain, yet could be still considered as tall and his face was just as scarred as Gankplank.

Israel Ben, the first mate of the Gankplank and quartermaster of the Fortuna II, was terrifying just as, more than for some people, his captain.

Gankplank shook his head without bothering to talk. The pirate captain was not one for the words, as long as he's not negotiating for money. For the truces or peace offers, his trustworthy axe was a far more effective talker than him.

" Crew thinks he can't be trusted. "

" Me neither. " Gankplank replied.

Israel smiled. " They intend to put this on vote. "

"We work with nearly every criminal in the fucking continent. " said Gankplank. " What's bothering the men ? "

" To put it simply, the employer. " Israel answered as he rolled his eyes to the crew's fears he found unnecessary." Khada Jhin. "

A moment later their talk couldn't went on because of the Vladimir's sudden appearance. Gankplank didn't made a move but Israel had no idea who the man in reds before him was. So he drew his gun.

Not that Vladimir cared the petty weapon or it's pettier user. He walked down to them with an arrogant smirk on his face. After having to find a way to deal with Kech, Gankplank didn't seemed that much of a threat.

"How you doin' captain ? " he asked.

Gankplank's eyes narrowed. " Vladimir? Where is Jhin ? "

" My partner had an immediate business needs to be taken care of. " Vladimir answered, shrugging. " So, you and I will be arranging the last moment details. "

" What business ? " This time the one who did the talking was Israel.

" Does it matter ? "

" It is." Israel answered. His gun was still on air, aiming to Vladimir. "Where is Khada Jhin ? "

Since he can't tell them what actually was keeping Jhin busy, Vladimir had only two options. Lying to these experienced liars or indimitate them enough to take their minds elsewhere.

" Captain, who's this man ? "

"My name is Israel Ben. First mate of the Fortuna."

In the blink of an eye, Vladimir turned to him. "Nice to meet you. Do you know who am I, mister Ben ? "

"One of them freaks." Israel replied, signing the League's lights far away, shining in the night.

Vladimir shook his head. Though he wished to crack that man open in two and show them how much of a freak he was actually, Vladimir had a business. "Correct. But mister Ben, do you know the other freaks residing in there ? "

Quartermaster looked Vladimir in confusion. " What does that mea... "

" There is a woman in there mister Ben. " Vladimir cut off Israel." Named as Fortune. Funny right? Just like you, she has some very questionable morals. Maybe your captain can tell you more. "

Gankplank's grip on his axe got stronger. " That wench has got nothing to do with this. "

" Yet." Vladimir corrected him. "She has nothing to do with this, yet. "

The pirate captain took a step forward. His face was dark under the hat on his head. " What are you saying, mage? "

" This is a very profitable work offer, both for you and your crew. " Vladimir replied, smiling to Gankplank's anger. " But here you are, dragging your feet over matters like Jhin's whereabouts. This man is pointing a gun at me. "

With a silent look of Gankplank, Israel lowered his gun but not holstered it. He was ready to fire, contractions on his muscles told it so. Vladimir couldn't see it, but his magic was letting him feel the tension on his prey. " Now, is there a problem ? "

After a moment of stop, Gankplank said " Nay. "

" Thank you. " Vladimir signed the dark waters behind them. " Let's go then, eh ? "

He never liked to be on a ship. Especially in a pirate ship. It was smelling like a dog carcass and moving under Vladimir's feet. Also, the looks he's getting from the crew weren't exactly friendly.

Under the main mast of the Fortuna II, Vladimir looked around. Many crew member was old men past their primes. They were still powerful enough to pull half ton guns around or climb to the ropes but it was clear that their strength was diminishing with every passing day. Once upon a time, young men fight with each other to join Gankplank's crew... Before Miss Fortune beat him. Now the elder was the only thing that left to him.

This was their last job, Vladimir knew it.

" Preparations completed ? "

" Nearly. " Gankplank answered. " We're carrying guns and the other stuff to balance the weight. "

Not fast enough. They needed to complete balancing the ship a day ago. " You must be ready to set sail at daybreak. "

Israel frowned. " This is a day earlier than the schedule. "

" In case there is a mole between us, schedule changed at the last moment. " Vladimir explained. " No worries. You set sail and follow the course as written. "

" I don't like this. " Gankplank replied to him. " Why no one told us ? "

" Because no one knew it besides me and Jhin. "

" Why ? " Israel asked. His voice was a dangerous growl.

Vladimir realized the crew were watching them. " You serious ? Still dragging your feet even after I told how protiable this work will be. If you don't want to, Miss Fortune and her crew will be happy to help. There is a lot of money to it. Wanna go back to hunt fisherman boats? Feel fucking free! "

" We had a deal. " Gankplank growled.

" We still do. " Vladimir answered. " As long as you hold your end of the bargain. "

For a moment, Gankplank waited. He was in suspicion, whether he should say yes or no, if this is a trap or not. That was quite expectable, the pirate had his fair share of betrayals.

Though Vladimir didn't knew that. In his eyes, Gankplank was no more than a brute. A usable brute with a ship but still just a man who knew how to wield sword and nothing more. He had no idea about what was going through the Gankplank's head at the moment and he was more than ready to assume that he's going to back away from the deal.

" Half. " Gankplank said a minute later.

" Beg pardon ? " Vladimir replied, confusion slowly rising in his eyes.

Israel talked in place of his captain. A hand was grabbing his pistol tightly. " You heard the captain, mage. We want the half. "

" Half ? " Vladimir blinked. " As in the half of what ? "

" The profits. " said Gankplank.

Vladimir couldn't believe what he just heard. The half ? The fucking half ? All of the profit ? And what will the delivering party and the disturbing one get ? A consolation prize perhaps... Guess these men were really thieves.

" We're not here to talk about that. Payments and your share are already set. "

However Gankplank was never ashamed about pressuring the matters. " We can certainly talk again. " Jhin was warned Vladimir about this. He knew that the pirates will try to raise their share. They could always be shooed away but in turn there is a risk of them changing the course of the ship, using the waters watching by the Ionian armada. Though they were not powerful as their Demancian counterparts, Karma's navy was still enough to sink the Fortuna.

" Gankplank you know you can't have the half. There is three party for fucks sake ! Can you see a way to it ? "

" Money is barely covering our travel expenses. Since you don't let us hunt on the way. " Israel said with a hint of chagrin in his voice. Like it was completely normal to hunt while carrying a ton of flamable cargo in your hull.

" Nobody said anything about if you can hunt or not along the way. " Vladimir kept his smile up. How could one be this imbecile and stay alive in a career like Israel's ? " We said there will be no ship on the route. "

" Isn't it the same ? "

Sighing, the hemomancer turned to Gankplank. " You'll be carrying something called Nashor's Wrath. An immensely flammable liquid which cannot be extinguish with water. Tell me if it's wise to attack a ship while you had a literally a ton of them inside yours. "

" We can bring another ship with us. Lucky. She's fast and nimble, can hunt while we drag the cargo in the Fortuna. "

Vladimir finally snapped. " Are you fucking kiddin' me !? In case you didn't notice, we're trying to be discreet ! " he shouted. " A convoy? Of pirate ships? In the Ionian waters ? Maybe you should raise the black all the way here to there too ! "

" Calm down, mage. " said Gankplank.

Taking a step forward, Vladimir's magic flamed in his veins. Call of their blood was there, both Gankplank's and Israel's. The hemomancer called a bit of his magic forward, reaching and finding the quartermasters heart. He squeezed it slightly and distrupted the flow of blood.

Once the rhtym gone off, a wave of arrythmia enveloped Israel's body, while he coughed and pawed his chest.

" Don't move, or man dies ! " Vladimir turned to the Gankplank whose been reaching his gun.

" You'll pay for... "

"I won't pay for anything. You think anyone care if I kill both of you? " Vladimir asked. He looked to the other sailors momentarily. " Any of you ! ? "

A deep voice replied in place of the Gankplank." They certainly will not. "

Vladimir turned to see the source of the voice. There he was. In his usual white robes and mask, Khada Jhin was standing behind the helm, holding his trademark gun in his hand. Talon was also standing beside him. Vladimir couldn't tell how did he get in the ship without being seen.

Some of the crew draw their guns, aiming to the others.

" Captain ! " Jhin took a dancing step forward. " Thanks for bringing the ship here ! "

" What's the meaning of this ! ? " Looking around in confusion, Gankplank shout in anger.

Jhin laughed under his mask. " I'm boarding her. Men ! Fire at will !"

Then shots fired. 


	7. Chapter 6,5

Hey guys, long time no see! Sorry, I was a bit busy so had no time to write. But here we are with a new chapter. This is a bit short, because I intended this to be a start of an new sub-arc with new characters. Whatever, have fun!

Everything happened at once. A gun fired, then another; then a dozen of it... Bullets was flying everywhere, there was no way to tell who was targeting whom. Air was heavy with gunpowder and smoke.

Guess what? Vladimir was in the middle of that hell.

" What the fuck? " He thought to himself just before ducking under a sword, a buckler to be exact. Without thinking, the hemomancer touched to his attacker, poisoning his blood in the process and making sure he'll die in a minute. Pity.

He drew blood from someone, a pirate, using it for exploding outwards. Pikes of blood teared the flesh of those who close to Vladimir. Men fell down with screams. " Did they got played? Or was this just an another scheme of Jhin? "

On his account, Jhin also had questions. Firstly, how the hell Caitlyn managed to reach Gankplank's crew? He always knew that there was a leak in connections, it was not unexpected when you're working with thousand different gang in three continent, but the second mate of the Fortuna II? It shouldn't be possible. This was like Jayce working for Jhin.

" Take no prisoners! " Talon shout beside Jhin. He cut a man down, turned on his heels swifly and threw his knives. Three fell down as the metals found their targets. Jhin had to give him, Shadow of Blades was fighting with vigor

" Find Billy Bones! " Jhin shout back. The man who sold all of them. As he saw someone sneaking upon Talon he fired his gun, Whisper. A bullet, infused with black magic left the barrel only to kill another one of his enemies.

His target died in an instant and fell to floor, but even if Talon had realized Jhin just saved his hide, he didn't showed it. " We'll get to it too! "

" We shall… "

At the same time, while all that were happening, Vlad was fighting alongside with Israel and Gankplank in order to survive in the madness surrounding them.

" Jhin! " Vlad shout, trying to have the virtuoso's attention.

Luckily, he heard Vladimir, who was fighting on the deck. " What!? "

" What's happening!? "

Before even Vlad could warn him a man tackled Jhin and they both fell down to the wooden floor. " How barbaric..." he murmured to himself then fired the Whisper. Another one of magic infused bullets flew forward, ripping the heart of the man on top of him.

Quickly Jhin got onto his feet like nothing happened. " Caitlyn is happening!"

The Sherrif? " I thought you said you were going to find a way to deal with her! "

"As you can clearly see, I am trying to! " Jhin shout back. " Find Billie Bones! And be quick! "

"Who the fuck is he!? "

" Vlad I also wanna have a long talk with you! " An explosion heard somewhere near Jhin. " But my hands are a little bit full right now! FIND HIM!"

Guessing that Billie guy was the reason they were in this mess, Vladimir turned around and made his way to Gankplank. Withi some help, they were somehow managed to fend the crew off.

" Who the fuck is Billie Bones? " He asked as he grabbed Gankplank's shoulder. They had to shout even though they were close to each other.

" My second mate! " Gankplank answered. There was blood splattered all over his body but Vladimir guessed that none belonged to him. The old pirate was smiling. " Why!? "

" Jhin asked! " he replied, wondering if the answer he just gave was a sensible one. Gankplank had no idea about what's happening and likely thinking Jhin was attacking him and his ship, not defending.

" Bastard escaped! " said Israel. " He was the leader mutineers but upon hearing you guys getting 'board he flew off! "

" What mutineers!? "

Gankplank laughed roaringly as he cut a man down. " Look around! "

What was they gotten into? A pirate mutiny? And what was making it worse, the whole thing being caused by Caitlyn. He never thought she could be that dangerous. Damn, and it was only drugs…

The whole, mutiny thing ended after an hour full of fighting. Without a leader, men were already ready to drop their swords, they just needed a little bit of concinving. Talon's blades, Jhin's gun and Vladimir's exploding blood trick also helped things go faster...

To their luck, no one had thought about cutting the ropes or burning sails, or doing any real damage to the ship. Maybe it was because rebellion intented to keep pirating, or maybe because it was about the respect they had.

All in all, the ship was still ready to sail.

" Did you find Bones? " Jhin asked as he came closer to Vladimir.

Under the mast of the ship, remnants of the Bones' men were tied down to each other and to main mast, waiting for judgment. All had that defiant look on their faces, a detail Vladimir didn't liked, not even a bit.

" He had escaped long before the fight starts. " Vladimir answered. " How'd all that happened? "

Instead of Jhin, Gankplank answered. " We took Billy in a few years ago. He was a soldier from Demancian navy. "

" By force, I assume. "

" He joined us. "

" A man of Demancia never deserts. How did he? "

" There was a fight. A small frigate, named Jarvan III found us near the Ionian shores after a plunder. We were down to thirty man, so we tried to escape. But one our mast was broken down so she catched us. "

" Note that, Billie wasn't a Demancian. He was a refugee from Zaun. " Israel added.

" So he had no chance of moving up. Could only be a simply sailor, nothing more. And he thought joining to you will be more profitable. " said Vladimir.

" Or so we thought." Gankplank agreed with him. "In the fight, just as we were about to lose he blew off the gunpowder barrels in their ship, killing his captain and half of his mates. "

" You know what happened then. He was smart, brave and could fight like a mad dog. Quickly became our second mate." Israel completed his captain.

" While keeping in contact with his Demancian uppers. " said Jhin. There was a subtle anger in his voice. " He never deserted. Jarvan III, she was sent to death. All that thing was a fake... Then Caitlyn reached him, with the help of Crownguards I think and tried to foil our plans by an uprising."

The plots of Demancia was nothing new to his lifes, but it didn't make them less annoying. " So he went to Caitlyn now? "

" Withput a doubt. " Jhin growled. Bones' was Caitlyn's only known contact. " If I knew Caitlyn, she had already gave him to the Demancia. "

Only place they had no chance of reaching. Unlike Ionia, Demancia was organized, with all of their champions monitoring all and any threats…

" We can't reach there… " said Talon. Vladimir had no idea how Jhin convinced him to come help. The blade master always seemed eager about Jhin failing.

" What happened to spy network in there? "

Talon shrugged. " Got busted a month ago... "

" Fuck! " said Vladimir and Jhin together. The hemomancer added; " If he crosses the border, "

" Then we'll have no chance to get him. " Talon completed his sentence.

" We need to deal with this." Turning, Jhin signed one the men around. A young boy still in his seventeens, with a strong jaw and piercing blue eyes. His shoulders were broad, golden blonde mane was flowing down to his neck like a poem. " You. Come here. "

" What, sir? "

Jhin produced a piece of paper from his pocket. " Take this. Go to The League and find the Hall Of Champions. Head to West Wing. Look for a woman with violet skin tone but not the horned one. "

" Maybe, the horny one… " Vlad added with a smirk.

" You got it? " Jhin asked.

The blonde sailor shook his head. " Hall, West Wing, the horny purple woman. "

" Perfect. Tell her, the Khada Jhin sent you and give the paper. She'll do the rest. Then return here immediately. "

Vlad grinned again. Return here immidiately?

Shooking his head again, the young sailor went off running.

" Poor fool. " Gankplank mumbled after he left the hearing distance. " Purple woman. You send him to Evelynn. "

" I may be. " Jhin replied without care. " Desperate times desperate measures. Do you like that guy? "

" Nah. " Gankplank flashed a crooked smile. " Not really. "

" No problems then. " said the virtuoso. " And Talon, I'm gonna need a bunch of safe passages to Noxia and Zaun. "

To everyones surprise, Talon said; " Consider it done."

Seems even they could work together, time to time.

The virtuoso turned to Gankplank. " Captain, carry on with loading the ship. You must be ready when the time comes. "

So he was still intending to do it. " Are we really still doing this? " Vladimir asked in surprise. Risks were a Demancian fleet already blocked all available ports.

" Of course. " Jhin turned to the remaining crew answered. " This is a big deal! Lots of money! For everyone! "

################

" Are you okay? " Caitlyn asked to the man in sailor clothes.

Bones clenched his teeth in pain. " Got shot... " What's hurting him was not the teared flesh but the defeat. For a moment he was this close to killing Gankplank, then another he got shot by that maniac Jhin and fell to water.

By gods or by pure luck no one had noticed Billy went missing in the heat of battle. He quietly swam to shore and crawled to the League. He thought going to Garen for a moment, then remembered his official status with Demancia. No way he could go to his commander so he went to Caitlyn's room.

She looked to the bullet hole in his left arm with concerned eyes. Even when she's talking, flesh around the tear was slowly darkening. " Wound is decaying faster then it should be. What happened? "

How did he learned about the coup? Billie thought if there was a leak in his connections..." That freak shot me… "

" Jhin?" Caitlyn replied with a puzzled look. " It's not possible. If he had shot you, you would be dead by now. He never misses. "

" He did now! " Billie hissed through his teeth.

" Unless… " Quickly getting onto her feet, Caitlyn grabbed the rifle strapped to her back. " You need to go! Can you travel? "  
" What's happening!?"

" Jhin. He left you alive for a reason. " said Caitlyn, looking around to see if there is any traps in her room. Under the bed, inside the cupboards, the armiore. Normally, no one ever tries to do that, considering it too risky in the League borders, but this was Jhin. One can never be too cautious. " And I imagine this was not for a pleasant chatter. "

" What we'll do!? " Now, he was beginning to panic. Billie heard the stories about infamous Khada Jhin too.

" My friend, Jayce, will be here in any minute. " Caitlyn replied, taking cover under the windows. " You'll go to Ionia. "

" What? What happened to Demancia!? "

" Jhin probably figured out who you are. He'll be sending men to the places you'll likely to be. " said Caitlyn. " We can't send you to Demancia. You die probably in an hour if any of his men find you. That, if he doesn't find you by himself. "

" Greeaaat... " Billie murmured to himself.


	8. Chapter 7

It has been a long time! A year of exams and things... But now I can finally continue this story in peace, hurraaay!

Silent. Heavy. Wet. All around him, hugging his body. Water…and nothing else.

"Pyke." A silken voice rang in his head.

The hand he felt on his shoulder brought him out of his slumber quickly. Guileless eyes shot open in an instant, searching for the owner of the deft touch. Though he knew who was it even before seeing the masked form sitting in front of him in his table. His voice was…easily recognizeable.

"Khada Jhin."

Virtuoso was a bit less formal than he was always that night. Instead of his usual mask, he was sporting a black turban that night with only one of his eyes were visible. And from judging the look of it, he was smiling under the fabric. "Goodnight Pyke. How's the life?"

"Why you'ere here?"

"Can't a man want to have a drink?" Jhin asked back.

"No' with me." Pyke replied.

Smirk on his face got wider. "Don't be like that Pyke. Or you'll end up all alone."

However, the joke was lost in his cold gaze. "Don't be sorry if I don't smile."

Jhin shrugged. "Well, you were never one for the jokes. I have a job for you."

Now it was Pyke's turn to smile. A job, for him? What he thinks he is? "I don't work like that, Jhin."

"Oh, but you will." Reaching to his pockets, he took out a blue-green purse. Actually, the colors were everchanging, one second a bright blue other second a dull green and reverse and so on... It was beautiful. Only a piece of incomprehensible beauty though. Slight hum, a faint song could be heard when one listens quietly.

Pyke knew what was inside that fabric. "How'd you get them?" He asked, his eyes never leaving from purse.

"It wasn't easy. Had to ask Thresh. Vlad helped too, but that's none of your business."

Just who was this man? Smart enough to figure out what would tempt Pyke and vile enough to find it.

"You're lying." Pyke replied with a frown. "These can't belong to Thresh. I can't see any form of torture."

"I thought you like them happy and pure." Jhin answered. "So we killed a bunch of temple priestess in their sleep. Then Thresh extracted them for me and vôila."

Pyke eyed Jhin for a moment. Nervously. The lights…these were souls. Essence of the life. Shard of the creation. The most sacred thing in the endless existence. Even Pyke could only dare to harvest souls of the cursed and such.

And this man was using them like cheap pennies.

"How?" Pyke asked, question struck him like a lightning bolt. "How can you force them to stay?"

Normally, after death souls passed naturally. In very rare cases, powerful curses may turn a soul to a wraith, binding them to this world. Thresh's lamp could also contain souls, but he had to use curses and power of his lamp.

But no normal magic or curse could give a soul materialized form.

"Answer to that question belongs to the part that none of your business as I said."

Fair enough. Pyke was but a wraith and nothing more. Laws and such, though binds him, it's not his mission to punish those who don't obey.

"Now, to said job, assuming you want them." Jhin drove shining souls to Pyke's side of table. "I want you to track someone."

"Who?" By the way he violated the laws of creation so freely, Pyke expected that whatever Jhin's going to want, won't be so easy. He knew he won't be suprised if the virtuoso asks him to kill a League hero or worse, a summoner.

"An insignificant man. Billy Bones."

"Who's this man?" Pyke repeated his question.

He felt Jhin's smile fade a little, or rather the feelings that made him smile replaced by something else. "A thorn at my side. Left alone, he's nothing. Though it's not him that's important, it's his company what concerns me."

Pyke shifted a little in his seat. "Do I have to ask or will you tell me?"

"The Piltover lot."

He heard of them. Not that he had anything with them, but it was kinda hard to miss Caitlyn and others while they're walking down the League halls. Pyke only knew the name of her. She was first to greet him to League, assumed he was after justice like she is. Warmth quickly replaced by disdain once she heard Pyke wants indiscriminated revenge. Others were…well indifferent to him as Pyke to them. A pink haired woman with gloves that looked like they were belonged to a golem and a man with a hammer that shifts at his will.

"All of them?"

"No." Jhin shook his head. "I assume the Sherrif is still in the League, keeping an eye on me."

"So…pink woman and the man with hammer then?"

Jhin nodded. It must be difficult for a man who loves to use gestures to hide his face all the time. "Vi and Jayce. Everyone assumes that she is the muscles and Jayce is the brain."

"Everyone?" Pyke asked. He was starting to adjust Jhin's peculiar manner of speaking. "But not you?"

"Vi has more muscles than brains, that's for sure. Though she has street smarts while Jayce's pyhsical force with his hammer o' his is something to be reckoned. But he tends to panic quickly under panic."

Pyke waited for a moment to digest information. "Where they are heading?"

"Well… That's the tricky part. I don't know. Probably somewhere on the continent."

"What?"

"It's a funny story actually. You see, I did not expect anyone to help Billy." Jhin chuckled. "So there was no watcher and…well they kinda escaped."

"But you have a lead, right? Unless you won't be here."

Jhin nodded once more. "They're on the Ionian soil. Heading to Bilgewater."

Pyke was starting to suspect that Jhin was holding something back again. So he asked; "Bilgewater? Why? Why not Piltover?"

"Billy was with the crew of Gankplank. His second mate, if I need to be exact." He explained quickly, not seeing any reason to hide anything from Pyke. "And a Demancian naval officer on undercover mission."

"That's convenient. No one knows Gankplank's crew, not anymore. From Bilgewater, to where?"

"Who knows. After we foiled his plans, I reckon Demancia won't take him back. He has no one but Caitlyn to look after him." Jhin answered. "And they both know that she's not enough."

Pyke took the shining purse. "I assume you want him before he reaches to Bilgewater."

"And alive. I need to talk to him."

"Other two?"

"Vi and Jayce? I don't want them at all. But I need them alive too. Killing them only result unnecessary heat."

Then Jhin get up and turned his back, heading to the door he came. " Wait until dawn. And Pyke, you'll have company in this quest of yours."

"Open the door, Karma!" Vladimir shouted from outside. "We need to talk."

"Go away!" She shouted back from her room. Every hero had one.

He was sent by Jhin to talk with Ionian leader. They needed her permission to move Pyke and the other one freely in Ionian lands. They didn't have time to forge fake identities and bribe every guard on their way, not this time. But if Karma let them…

"I just wanna talk!"

Though whatever he said, Karma stood adamant. "I have nothing to talk with you!"

"It's strictly business!"

"Of course it's business! It's always business!"

Vladimir sighed. "I really can't grasp the problem in this situation!"

Then it struck to him, suddenly. "Shit…"

Karma heard that through the door. "Oh so you remember!"

"It's not like I forget! It's just we were kinda busy last days!"

"Yeah, you were busy…with JHIN! Where were you on yesterday?"

"In the League." Hemomancer answered. "But I didn't have time to drop by. You know I would if I had any!"

He may be intented to extinguish the flames of her anger but with those words, but they only helped to fan them. "It's your home dammit! It's ME! You HAVE to find time! Create, if you don't have any!"

"I'm sorry Karma! If you just let me I can…"

Karma cut him. "Three months! Three months since you last came!"

"It's business, Karma! You know how it is!"

"I'M YOUR WIFE DAMMIT!" she shrieked.

"And the leader of Ionia!" Vladimir growled through his teeth. She was so angry that the secret they've been sharing for over a year is not important for her anymore. "Not for long though, if you don't keep it down!"

They were not the most expected couple in the League. Partly because Vladimir was a murderer and the sole practitioner of hemomancy while Karma is the leader of the peaceful Ionia. They were just unlikely as Garen and Katarina, but at least they were not forming a love triangle with Talon.

"Damn right I'm the leader of Ionia! I govern cities, wage wars, run policies, fight in a damn League! Yet I'm there when you need me! Where were you when I was waiting you!"

Thankfuly, not all the Ionians so closed minded in regard to their relation. "So you forget your anniversary?" A passing Yasuo commented on the fight. Acting as Karma's guard in the League, the swordsman was one of the few people that knew relation between her and the infamous hemomancer. "Wrong move…"

"There was a fight." Vladimir mouthed to him, not wanting anger his wifey more.

"You should win quicker." He mouthed back with a smile. Then he took something out of his belt and threw it to Vladimir. "Present."

Vlad catched it in the air with his long fingers. A necklace… Seemed like it was made out from coral, shining with a fiery red between his fingers. Karma's favorite colour.

Yasuo, the magnificent bastard! Guessing that Vladimir will forget about it, and Karma will fly into rage, he actually brought a present as a failsafe.

Vlad thanked heavens. "At least let me give you your present!"

"Ha!" Karma replied. "Like I fall for that!"

Vladimir eyed Yasuo for help.

"Karma." Yasuo joined the heated…conversation once more to aid Vladimir. "He's not lying."

She stopped on her tracks. Then she shout;"If he is, you're fired!"

"I have no doubt about it." Yasuo replied dryly.

The door opened slowly, with Karma's face visible through the small space between the door and the frame. She was holding it in case Vlad was actually lying.

Hemomancer showed the coral necklace, hoping it would be enough to calm her down. He loved his wife, he really did, but sometimes she could be too hot-headed and stubborn.

"Happy anniversary." said Vladimir, when Karma kept quiet. "And I'm sorry."

And she stood quiet still.

Yasuo coughed lightly. "Karma, I think you should let him in now."

Finally, she opened the door fully and Vladimir remembered why he fell for the woman he should be despised. She was beautiful, even her rage was beautiful. Her graceful form was wrapped in a tight little black dress, her bracelets and necklasses traded for more elaborate ones. "You're sleeping on couch tonight."

He could hear Yasuo laughing.

"So you want free pass. Why?" Karma asked. After Vladimir managed to calm her down fully, it proved quite a task, three of them; Karma Vladimir and Yasuo were sitting in the table.

"I told you already, we need to catch a guy."

"Who?"

Vladimir shrugged. "I don't know. Jhin knows the details."

"Is he a threat to Ionia?" Yasuo asked.

"No, I don't think so." Vladimir was quick to answer. One may think that lying could be more profitable in a situation like this, but he had all the leverage he needed already. They always have.

"Then I see no reason to let you wander in my land." said Karma. Vladimir may be his husband, but before her heart Karma had responsibilities to her people. Just like Vladimir had his, to his comrades.

"Honey, we're not asking for charity. We'll aid you in return."

"Oh." Karma raised an eyebrow. Another deal… "How so, darl' ?"

Vladimir smiled. "Jhin promises to help you against Kinkou."

Karma's black eyes narrowed, but it was Yasuo that speaked. "Ionia and Kinkou has no qualms."

"Ionia may not. But you do."

"Kinkou is an important if not vital part of Ionia, as they…"

Vladimir cut Karma, knowing what she'll say word by word. It's not the first time he was hearing this. "They are also your defenders, a part of it. I know that. And I know that their political ambitions have far surpassed their ambition to protect Ionia."

"There is no such thing, Vladimir. Your feud with Kinkou is yours."

"I'm not saying it isn't. We all have wars that we must fight alone. I'm only saying that you don't need to be alone in the one against, Kennen."

"What?"

"I'm listening." said Karma, however.

"Ever since his father killed by Zed and his greatest work undone by the people who set Jhin free, Shen is lost. Balance? There's no balance in Kinkou, not anymore." Vladimir started talking. "Eye of the Twilight does not care about this world. His war is unseen. While Akali is just a little girl with a blade."

"That leaves Kennen." Yasuo replied, slightly concerned what he might say next. He was familiar with battles that swords used but what is happening on this table? It was entirely different kind of warfare. "So what? We know he's in the control of the order's more worldly side."

"But do you also know that he's not satisfied by how Karma governs? 'Peace through love' you say, 'Peace through power' he replies with."

"And?" Karma asked. She was aware of her ideologies and of Kinkou.

"Kennen is planning a coup. Not now, not until you show weakness. But when you do it, that little furry bastard will try take your place."

Karma's eye narrowed. Amongst Jhin's…accomplishes, her husband was not only the strongest but also the smartest. And when his volatile temper tempered by that masked creature, his smarts ascends to another level. "Honey, you aware that I am guarded by an army, right?" She asked, fearing what she'll be hearing next.

"An army controlled by Irelia." replied Vladimir, his eyes shining momentarily. That was the moment he was waiting for.

Karma frowned. Now she was in more dangerous waters. "She never betrays me, if that's what you're implying."

"Is she now?"

"You know who she is Vladimir, right?" Karma asked back, clearly annoyed by the poison in his words.

"Of course I do. Irelia is just a soldier. A magnificent one. Her loyalty is iron."

"Then what is the problem?" This time it was Yasuo.

"Problem is honey, iron never bends but only breaks. Irelia will never betray Ionia and you as long as she sees you and the land as one." said Vladimir. "But at the moment she starts to see you as an hindrance rather than the smartest leader they ever had, she too, will try to remove you."

"And Jhin offers protection?"

"Only protection she needs, is me. Jhin offers help with Kinkou."

"How?" Karma asked.

Vladimir's eyes shone. Though no matter what she'll say, he'll weed out the betrayers to protect her. Karma was her wife and Vladimir loved her in his own fierce and twisted way. But it'll be nice to get something out of his charity.

"Only thing Kinkou wants more than control is Jhin. Indirectly, he killed Shen's father. His actions created the rift in the heart of Zed."

"So?"

"So we gonna make a little fuss with vastayas. You know how they hate him. And once they start to make moves, Kinkou will mobilize their forces too." Hemomancer answered. "That'll stall them for months. Maybe for even more. Meanwhile I'll help you to catch those who loyal to Kennen in your court."

"I can't promise that Ionia will stay idle once vastayas start to ask for help."

Vlad smirked. "No problem."

"And you can't kill Kennen, Shen or Akali."

"We can't even if you want to. They're League heroes."

Karma smiled. "Then we have a deal."


End file.
